Are you going to be watching the World Cup from Qatar this month? I have decided that I won’t be watching any of it, I don’t have the stomach for it to be honest, even if Scotland had qualified for the finals, I still wouldn’t have watched it. It has been estimated that 6,500 migrant workers have died building the various stadiums and other infrastructure for the tournament.
Claims of alleged corruption in Qatar’s successful 2022 World Cup bid have been published in the German media (BBC Sport).
Migrant workers barred from forming or joining trade unions.
Women continued to face discrimination in law and practice. Under the guardianship system, women remained tied to their male guardian, usually their father, brother, grandfather or uncle, or for married women, to their husband.
“Sodomy” or same-sex sexual conduct between men remained an offence under the Penal Code, punishable by up to seven years’ imprisonment. Article 296 states that “leading, instigating or seducing a male in any way to commit sodomy or dissipation” and “inducing or seducing a male or a female in any way to commit illegal or immoral actions” is a crime.
The list of concerns is a long one from what has been reported and claimed Qatar should never have been awarded the World Cup. Various human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have raised serious concerns regarding this year’s tournament. Recently I blogged about equality, because I believe in it, it is an aim worth hoping for. That got me thinking that if by watching the World Cup this year was I in even a small way condoning the actions of a state whose laws I just don’t agree with at all, who have not answered the valid concerns raised regarding the tournament, who have not shown any concern for the workers who have died.
I have decided that I just can’t watch it, to do so would make me feel like a hypocrite, I am not asking you to not watch it, I do think a stand should be taken but that is up to each individual, company, player, nation to make their own decision. So even though I enjoy football I have decided that I can’t, I suspect I am not the only one.
grumpyscottishman.wordpress.com 
Qatar beat England to host the thing if I recall. England wasn’t winning with the voting officials. I seem to remember the FIFA reps being handed gucci bags and the rolex watches by Wills and Becks. Didnae offer enough?
Probably. Corruption? definitely. I think that has been proven.
6500 deaths sounds like a huge number. I haven’t been following this debate. it doesn’t feel like we are on the cusp of a world cup for some reason. Where do the numbers come from?
GM
The Guardian investigation is where it was reported based on deaths recorded by the Qatar state. You are correct it doesn’t feel like a World Cup due to the timing but the more I have read the more corrupt it all feels to the extent that I just think I’ll feel dirty if I watch any of it. I wonder how many people will, I’ve heard a few on LBC say they won’t be and they were mainly English Football fans.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
I have been having a scan. I don’t know about the number of deaths but there seem to be reams of articles on low pay and exploitation by myriad employers particularly of workers from Asia .
I am a football fan as well and have barely given this world cup a thought. When it was awarded I think questions then started to arise if memory serves me about whether it was a good place to hold it on purely footballing terms. Which you would have thought would have been part of the consideration before awarding it. ”Its too hot oot there though?” That’s fine we can have air conditioned stadiums whihc became we can hold it in winter etc. I think I lost a bit of interest then and despite going to Scotland games etc, that interest hasn’t returned.
GM
I tend to think there is some truth to the numbers over the years since construction began and I won’t miss not watching to be honest. I only really follow Scottish Football and don’t bother with EPL etc.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
I am not casting doubt on it. I hadn’t been paying attention to it with all the other stuff going on. That’s just a massive number of deaths on the building sites. Absolutely Staggering
GM
It is and I think they are including everything, but it is more the response from the Qatar Government that doesn’t seem very respectful of the families and FIFA are just a joke and should have been broken up a long time ago to be honest in my own opinion, they have been shown to be corrupt in virtually every way. I like football, well maybe not a DFC fan, but the game has been totally corrupted now by money. There won’t be leagues eventually, there will just be the big teams and that will be it if we are not careful.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
Northern Irish political “anoraks” are debating the same topic over on the SluggerO’Toole blog. Here you go for insights into how “fellow Brits” view the issue!https://www.sluggerotoole.com/2022/11/04/should-we-boycott-the-world-cup/
Ben
Thanks, will check it out.
Bruce
I’m like yourself Grumpy. I only watch Celtic in all footballing tournaments but no other leagues as i’m not a football fan boy. I have always loved the world cup but due to the criminal construction process where thousands have been murdered in the name of profit. I couldn’t watch a degraded spectacle such as what the world cup has become, an extreme capitalist venture.
Wasn’t Southern African apartheid eventually brought down due to sportsmen refusing to play in a degraded tournament?
BR
Yeah same, I’m a DFC fan for my sins and was never a huge international fan or have an English team like my brothers. I am not going to watch the WC, if I watch it, I will feel like I am condoning the actions of both Qatar and FIFA, just can’t do that. At least the lower leagues will still be playing so I will get to Dens with the season ticket if I fancy going to a game and the Dees are at home. I think it was the white South African players that started to refuse to play but I am not sure to be honest.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
Well said Bruce – totally agree. I won’t be watching. Hopefully many feel the same way.
Brian
I have a few people say they are not watching, it won’t be enough as we know that football is fickle when it comes to the sport and what it means behind the scenes and everyone should do what they feel is best for them, but it would send a powerful message if people didn’t watch and it would scare the sponsors.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce